10 February . 2016
Family-friendly Trails Beyond Tehaleh
While Tehaleh offers a breadth of scenery and outdoor activity without ever gearing up the car, there’s always more to explore within the region. Check out 3 of our favorites.
The Rainier Trail
This paved trail provides access to a number of recreational, cultural and civic amenities, including a local community center, senior center, baseball diamond, skate park and City Hall. One of the more interesting portions of the trail route is its adjacency to the Issaquah Valley Trolley near the lovingly restored Issaquah Depot. Now a museum, the old train station features exhibits on local railroad history—and a quick side trip back in time.
Ft. Steilacoom Park
Located just south of Tacoma, this urban park offers hundreds of trails crisscrossing through open fields, lakes, forests and grasslands. The courses are fast with not a lot of climb, and feature a great variety of trails, terrain, and vegetation. For history buffs, Ft. Steilacoom was constructed in 1849 and played a significant role in the settling of Washington Territory. The Fort is still there today and open for tours. This park also features a state-of-the-art playground, an amazing off-leash dog park, multiple picnic shelters, and a small lake with a paved walking path encircling its shoreline.
Dash Point State Park
Dash is regional favorite, boasting 398-acres of camping and recreation, including 3,300 feet of saltwater shoreline along Puget Sound. The upper trails of the park offer beautiful views of Maury and Vashon Islands and the Olympic Mountains, while the unobstructed beach provides an opportunity to spot the park’s fulltime residents—coyotes, foxes, ducks, and eagles. TIp: Don’t miss staying for the spectacular sunsets from points high or low. Here you will also find both 10K and Half-Marathon (13.1 miles) distances. There are plenty of aid stations and the courses are well marked with signs at intersections.
Note: Because Dash Point is a WA State Park, a Discover Pass is needed.